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CASE STUDY 1
Increasing Inspector Productivity Through Smart Automation
Improving Flow Between Final Inspection and Shipping
TRPex partnered with a manufacturing company where the Final Inspection department was located approximately 2,400 feet from Shipping. Once a unit passed inspection, inspectors either staged units for batch movement or immediately transported them to Shipping. While batching reduced walking, it created delays and congestion, especially during month-end peak demand.
To maintain flow, inspectors often transported units immediately, unintentionally creating a significant productivity loss.
The Operational Challenge
Each inspector traveled to Shipping an average of three times per hour, with each round trip taking approximately 10 minutes. This resulted in 30 minutes of transport time per inspector per hour. With two inspectors, this equaled one full hour of lost inspection capacity every hour.
Over a 7-hour production day, transportation consumed 7 total hours of inspection time, effectively eliminating the capacity of one full inspector. This non-value-added activity directly constrained throughput during critical production periods.
The TRPex Solution
Inspired by best practices observed in a Japanese manufacturing facility, TRPex recommended deploying a transportation robot (AGV) to move inspected units from Final Inspection to Shipping.
The AGV eliminated inspector travel, allowed inspectors to remain focused on value-added work, and maintained continuous flow without batching delays.
Results & Impact
The solution delivered immediate and measurable results:
- 7 inspection hours recovered per day
- ~30% increase in people productivity
- Elimination of non-value-added walking
- Improved flow and reduced end-of-month congestion
Financially, the results were equally strong:
- ~3-month payback
- Minimal maintenance
- No additional headcount required
Due to its success, the company expanded AGV use to support the Repair and Overhaul department, further increasing ROI.
Key Takeaway
This case study demonstrates how right-sized, low-complexity automation, applied in the right context, can unlock substantial productivity gains without disrupting operations or increasing labor costs. By removing wasted motion, TRPex helped convert lost time into sustained, value-added output—quickly and with low risk.
CASE STUDY 2
Aerospace Lead-Time & Flow Transformation
TRPex partnered with an electromechanical aerospace manufacturer facing extended lead times, inconsistent delivery performance, and limited visibility into true productivity. Customer lead times averaged 8–11 weeks, on-time delivery stood at 60%, and internal production lead time exceeded 15 days. Notably, this transformation was achieved without reducing supplier lead time.
Using Value Stream Mapping, TRPex worked alongside leadership and operators to visualize the current state, expose non-value-added activity, and design a high-flow future state. This effort was reinforced through a hands-on Lean Simulation, enabling the team to apply one-piece flow, waste vs. value identification, Kanban pull systems, line balancing, replenishment strategies, standard work, visual production boards, and disciplined execution through DMAIC and Total Quality Management. The team also learned how to rapidly identify, prioritize, and implement low-hanging improvements.
The impact was immediate and measurable. Customer lead time was reduced to one week, on-time delivery improved to 100%, and production lead time collapsed from 15 days to just 4 hours. First-pass yield increased from 65% to 100%, while people productivity was established and sustained at 12.6 units per hour. Material travel distance was reduced by nearly 68%, throughput stabilized at 700 seconds, and 50% of workforce capacity was freed up and redeployed to other value-adding areas—creating significant cost avoidance without workforce reductions. Floor space utilization improved by approximately 1,837%, enabling scalable growth within the existing footprint.
What began as a single pilot production cell rapidly scaled to 14 production cells across three value streams, driven by operator engagement, visual management, and strong leadership commitment. TRPex thanks the company president and the entire team for their trust and partnership in delivering these results.